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Will Marijuana be the Next Great Weight-Loss Scheme?

Forget the Atkins Diet -- a new study has found that people who smoke marijuana are less likely to be obese than those squares who don't smoke pot.

According to a story from The Week, researchers in France analyzed data from two U.S. studies, looking at the weight differences between marijuana users and non-users.

They found that in both studies, pot users had relatively low rates of obesity -- 14.3% and 17.2%. Those who didn't smoke marijuana had obesity rates of 22% and 25.3%.

The findings surprised even the researchers.

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"Cannabis is supposed to increase appetite," said Dr. Yann Le Strat, a psychiatrist at France's Louis-Mourier Hospital. "So we hypothesized that cannabis users would be more likely to have higher weight than non-users and be more likely to be obese."

As to why marijuana smokers seem to have less obesity despite eating mounds of chips, that remains a mystery. But theories abound.

"Maybe they're inclined to exercise more, be outdoors more, eat more fruits and vegetables," said dietician Andrea Giancoli. She also said the body's endocannabinoid system, a group of receptors, primarily in the brain, that respond to compounds in marijuana, could be at play here. Really though, no one knows.

But don't run out and find a drug dealer to score some weight-reducing pot.

"The take-home message is certainly not 'smoke cannabis, it will help you lose weight,'" said Le Strat. "The possibility that cannabis is associated with a lower risk of obesity remains an interesting hypothesis, but certainly does not counterbalance its negative effects on health and mental health."